How to see Belgium in One Week

Travelling Belgium in one week isn’t necessarily difficult. Because it’s such a small country and the main cities are so close together, this itinerary is more than doable. Having only three weeks of holiday a year makes it a bit difficult to really see as much as I want to see in the world. Obviously I try to make the most of it and every year I have been getting better. I’m always in a constant internal struggle with myself around seeing as much of a country as I possibly can versus seeing as many countries as I possibly can in any given trip. Of course it makes it easier when visiting smaller countries like Belgium.

This past Christmas I spent almost two weeks in Europe. I spent this time visiting my future-family in England, driving around Belgium and seeing a bit of Amsterdam as well. It was the perfect holiday. The itinerary was a bit rushed but I’ve adjusted the itinerary in this post for a bit more relaxation time by taking out Amsterdam to help you see Belgium in one week.

Belgium is such a beautiful country. Filled with great food, nice people, incredible history and beautiful architecture, I would recommend this country to everyone. The plus side is it’s rather small, which means you can see as much of it as you possibly can! I would suggest renting a car for this Belgium in one week itinerary so that you will be able to stop and take pictures as you want, and move at your own pace.

Brussels

Brussels would probably be the best place to start as it’s the city with the international airport and easiest to get to from anywhere. This city actually surprised me. I’m not sure what I was expecting but I had never done too much reading about Brussels before I actually visited. Our trip to this gorgeous city was a bit ruined by the New Year’s Eve planned terrorist attacks (that were foiled of course) and the excessive amount of military presence but I enjoyed my time all the same.

The city is easy enough to get around. We didn’t have to take public transportation once and were able to see everything we wanted to see. We were only there for a day and a half which of course isn’t enough but it’s definitely a city I would go back to.

Make sure to check out:

• Grand Place
• Town Hall
• Les Galaries Royales Saint-Hubert
• Jardin du Petit Sablon
• Atomium

Antwerp

This is the one spot it Belgium we didn’t travel to. In the interest of time, it was just one spot too many so unfortunately we had to cut it out. That being said, I had read up a lot on Antwerp before travelling and thought it looked like a great city to visit. From what I had read, the city is easy enough to do in one day (perfect!), so you wouldn’t really need to spend too much time here.

Make sure to check out:

• Central Station
• Cathedral of Our Lady
• Grote Markt van Antwerpen
• Cogels Osylei
• Saint Paul’s Church

Ghent

Ghent is a cute little city, actually more like a village, located right smack in the middle of all the cities you’ll be visiting. You can easily walk through the city in a day and it’s definitely something I would recommend doing. It’s hard to believe but this little city has quite a history. Founded in the 600’s, Ghent was once one of the largest cities in Europe! I have written out a walking route for you to take on your next trip to Ghent here which will bring you to all of the major sights within the city walls.

It’s about less than 3 kilometers for you to walk the entire city of Ghent but that of course doesn’t include stops in and out of shops or restaurants. Plus you’ll definitely need to take some time to take pictures, there are so many amazing spots to do so.

Make sure to check out:

• Castle of Gerald the Devil
• St. Bavo’s Cathedral
• Belfry
• City Pavillion
• St. Michael’s Bridge and the view of the three towers
• Castle of the Counts

Bruges

By far Bruges was my favourite city on this trip, and arguably one of my favourite in Europe thus far. There’s something about the small cobblestone streets, winding canal and medieval architecture that makes you feel as if you’ve been placed back in time the minute you step out of your car and into the city. I couldn’t take enough pictures of Bruges in all honesty. It was like every time I turned a corner there was another picture perfect moment.

Because it’s one of the more popular spots in Belgium, you should be prepared for a few crowds. I thought for Bruges wouldn’t be that busy as we were travelling on a random day in January but it was. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like in the summer.

Make sure to check out:

• Markt
• Basilica of the Holy Blood
• Belfry of Bruges
• Beguinage
• St. Salvator’s Cathedral

Ypres

I think of all the places I visited in Belgium during my trip, Ypres surprised me the most. First off the city has two names. More commonly, Ypres but also referred to as its more modern name, Ieper. There’s something about this small town that enchants and haunts you at the same time. As one of the major points of entry for World War One, graveyards encompass Ypres and its very popularity is owed to its involvement in the war. In fact, during World War One much of the city was destroyed.

Today you can walk around the city walls, which is also a great place for a run, and see the town from above. You can’t miss Menin Gate though or the Last Post ceremony. Every night since the end of the World War, Ypres has performed the Last Post Ceremony to honour the fallen soldiers. It’s one of the most humbling experiences I have witnessed. Standing in Menin Gate with thousands upon thousands of names scribbed in the walls that surround you, with the haunting sound of the trumpet, it’s enough to bring tears to your eyes.

Make sure to check out:

• Menin Gate
• In Flanders Fields Museum
• Market Square
• Ramparts Cemetery
• Last Post Ceremony

As Belgium is rather small you won’t have to waste too much time travelling between cities, which is why it’s easy enough to see Belgium in one week. The driving is fairly easy as well, although I can’t talk from first hand experience (thanks future-father-in-law!).

Additional Notes

Accommodation

• Airbnb stays are quite easy to find throughout Belgium so you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding something within your budget. For tips about booking Airbnb check out my post here.
• Booking.com is another great resource if you’re looking to book a hotel instead of an apartment. Most of our stays in were booked through Booking.com and I couldn’t have been more pleased.

Car Rental

• Hotwire is my go-to source when booking car rentals. I always find the best rates with them and it’s so easy to use. Most of the time I just use their app when travelling becaue it’s so convenient. 

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